KWU Kyokushin World Union organizes the 1st European Championship this month (11-12, June) in Belgrade. This is the first edition of the EC tournament in weight categories as the Open Weight was held in Russia 2012, and even as a European Championship, fighters from all over the world attended…

This years tournament keep it “inside” Europe, and 26 countries are registered. Do some drop outs in the last minutes there are 49 women and 115 men in the tournament. The women are split in to 5 weight categories, men in to 9..

The Open weight, or Absolute EC in 2012 was the first main tournament organized by the KWU. The hype was big, and the winner was crowned with cash prize and a car! About 70 fighters registered, no weight class, cup system. Winner of the tournament was ⇐Vidyulin Andrey from Russia.

Top 8, 2012 (two fighters fail the doping test)

1st place – Vidyulin Andrey (Russia)
2nd place – Mezhevtsov Alexey (Russia)
3rd place – Hachatryan Arsen (Russia)
4th place – Mammadov Farhad (Azerbaijan)
5th place – Estensoro Pablo (Spain)
6th place – Mitsaev Magomed (Russia)

The level was very good, and many merited fighters met at the tatemi from different countries and organisations.

2016, KWU European Championship. (VIDEO links below…)

After organizing two World Tournaments the KWU has been working to develop further cooperation with other Full Contact organizations. This has been with out a question the only way to keep it at the level that it is meant to be. At the last world tournament the question was raised by several: why is there a need for this event? One has to take that question with ease, because there is of course need. And put in context there are more “when, how and who” the question are about. This is related to that many of the categories are slimmed down to under ten fighters, all the way down to 6 and 7 fighters in a EC with cup system – this do not serve anyone.

We want our Kyokushin Champions and prize winners to be able to show they very best. Many thought that the KWU EC would get a regulation in the many weight categories – after the World Tournament. The same pattern was to be seen there, so it would be quite obvious that this would be a major factor in the EC. It is also quite clear that with out the help from WKO , (who is not a member of KWU, but a partner), the tournament would have serious trouble holding several of the categories.

The seeding/draw has been done, all to find HERE.

As many have been pointing out, the cooperation must start at the schedule with members and partners to reach the maximum number of fighters. This time of the year “everyone” got their own European Championship to prioritize. -but this is if the meaning is to unite all in the tournament.

Russia would consider to be a big favorite, thinking of the nation as one across the organizations. But we also have to see to the Lithuanian team as a very strong unit. The Lithuanian team are only from WKO, and shows us a very strong Kyokushin nation – sending one fighter in each category. Some of them with very good record.

The seeding/draw will as always be interesting, and this tournament no exception. Many wondered how the seeding would turn out, taking the fact that many got good but simular record – but from different organizations. Mainly it looks like that they with KWU records er those who are the first seeded, and why not, after all it is a KWU tournament.

As we said, some of the categories are to slim to bee a European Championship, and on the other side those categories that “always” are big are as expected.

+95 kg 12 fighters

• Vasily Samadurov, Russia. Reign KWU World Champion 2015. Russian champion 14/15 2016. EC Champion 2015 Royama.
• Farhad Mammadov, Azerbaijan. 3rd place EC 2016 Shin.
• Christian Garcia Contreras Spain

95 kg, 9 fighters

• Vitaly Ishahneli, Russia. Russian Champion 2016 IFK, International Yamburg Cup – 2014 champion. VIDEO
• Eventas Gužauskas, Lithuania. 3rd EC 2015 Shin. U22 champion 2014 Shin VIDEO
• Roel Noordman, Netherlands. 3rd KWU World Championship 2015 VIDEO

90 kg, 9 fighters

• Emanuel Lebo, Austria. KWU World Champion 2015, EC Champion Royama 2015 VIDEO
• Kristiyan Doychev, Bulgaria.Open Kyokushin Kan Championship of Japan Champion 2016
• Gnel Aramyan, Russia. Top 2 Russia Championship IFK 15/2016 VIDEO

85 kg, 14 fighters

• Artem Semenov ,Russia. Russian Champion 2015 wko, EC 2nd Royama 2015 VIDEO
• Aleksandar Komanov, Bulgaria. EC Champion 2015 Royama. KWU WT 2nd 2015 VIDEO

 

80 kg, 23 fighters

• Stanslav Mezhevtsov – Russian champion 2016, VIDEO
• Jonas Rosin – Sweden, 3rd KWU WC, runner up EC 2016 RENGOKAI. VIDEO

75 kg, 16 fighters

• Shamil Ramazanov, Russia. 2015/16 EC Champ Royama. VIDEO
• Deyan Bratkov, Bulgaria, 2nd KWU WT 2015, 3rd EC 2015 Royama VIDEO
• Grisha Torosyan ,Armenia, 2nd KWF WT 2014 VIDEO

70 kg, 10 fighters

• Khasai Magomedov, Russia. EC champ 2015 Royama, Russian Champion WKO VIDEO
• Omar Magomedov, Russia. Russian Champion 2016, 2nd EC 2016 Rengokai VIDEO
• Ivan Komanov ,Bulgaria. EC Royama 2015 3rd, KWU WT 2013, 3rd place VIDEO

65 kg, 13 fighters

• Farid Kasumov, Russia. Russian Champion 2016, EC IFK Champion 2014
• Artur Arushanyan, Armenia. Reign World Champion KWU 2015

60 kg, 13 fighters

• Dilyan Nikolov, Bulgaria. EC Royama 3rd place 2015 VIDEO
• Viacheslav Lesnikov,Russia. Russian Champion 2015 VIDEO